The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-03-16
THE DEADLY COBRA.
Harmless Enough, However, When
Let Severely Alone.
Europeans Exempt From Its Bite, Partly
Because They Take Care of Them
selves-Snake-Like Affection
The tanned" Reptile.

give It's Iulll UlUle, also kuOWH dS VIC
hooded or spectacle snake (NyG
tr1pudens), is not only one of the most
fatal of the serpent tribes, but one of
the most numerous, and the world over
has less than half-a-dozen rivals, the
most prominent of which are: The
Cleopatrine asp or African cobra (Naja
Haja), the fer de lance (Csarpedocephal-
Gus lanceolatus) of the Caribbean
archipelago, the tic paloonga (Daboii
Russe11D or cobra mouil of Ceylon, the
West India 1hfgonocephalous. and the
tigar snake of Australia and Tasmania
(Hop1ocephalous cnrtss).
In habits the cobra is cupuscular and
nocturnal, during the day lying coiled
up in its lar asleep; but no sooner has
the sun fallen below the horizon than
it crawls forth in search of prey such as
toads, frogs, mice and small vermin.
Cobras are Unfortunately fond of rats,
and the presence of the pests about a
dwelling is certain means of Turing
the cobra, and perhaps causing it to
make den in the foundation walls,
amongst accumulated rubbish, or even
in the attic 1t is these vermin also
that lure it about deserted temples,
old ruins, and deserted cane-ields and
plantations; and where grass and
jungle have been permitted to spring
up at will; and in deserted and honey
combed ant-hills they are sure to be
found. yet" says Captain Gill
more, although they are so plentiful, I
never heard of a European being
bitten by one, during a residence of
many years in India. "
The Anglo-Indian, after brief resi-
dence, learns to hold the cobra in
supreme contempt, though during the
heated term doors and windows of
necessity remain Enclosed both day
and night, and it is no uncommon oc-
currence to find traces of the visit of
the cobra over night, or even its old
skin, on the floor, which it has cast
during its peregrinations about the
room. Ample measures for protection,
however, are always taken, in the way
of screens and canopies to beds; and
when men go out walking or shooting,
CATERS are invariably worn. Even
trousers are protection, since they
catch and perhaps tear out the curved
fangs or absorb the venom.
Among the natives, however, who, as
rule, are too idle and careless to ac-
Il cept of precaution, the loss of life is
4 considerable, in some districts absolute
& ly frightful, and averages annually for
& all British India something like one
4 seventh of one per cent. of the entire
q population.
Il So Indifferent are the natives, and so
s imbued, perhaps, with fatalism, that
8 they march bare-legged through jungles
and thickets, at night casting them
q selves on the bare earth or floor indif-
4 ferently, with no other covering than
a a light muslin or cotton wrapper.
Z Naturally providing serpent will often
cross the body of the sleeper, who, one
4 half awakened by the act, puts forth
his hand to discover what has disturb
4 ed him, and is Immediately bitten.
Strang to say, it is rare that native
will injure one of the reptiles, which he
holds in species of religious venera-
ton; and the death of one of his imme-
diate family or relatives brings no
q other retribution than coaxing or
q forcing the author into jar,
and setting him at liberty at some dis
lance. The Hindu priests rather en-
courage the presence of cobras about
4 their temples, and even go SO far as to
feed them regularly, offering milk, of
which they seem inordinately fond,
claiming that, aside from the sacred
character of the serpents, their value
as destroyers of vermin sufficiently
compensates for all danger.
e Pliny remarks the affection that ex-
lists between the male and female asp,
or African cobra. and declares that if
& one be destroyed, the other seeks to
avenge its death; and likewise the
Clnghalese say that when one is killed,
Its companion is almost certain to be
3 discovered Immediately after. This
4 belief" says Sir j. Emmerson Ten
gent, "lhsd an opportunity OF verifying